By Tom Breihan on January 27, 2011 at 3:40 p.m. EST

-- The Associated Press reports that Marvelettes lead singer Gladys Horton died last night in a Los Angeles nursing home, where she'd been recovering from a stroke. She was 66. Horton co-founded the Detroit group that recorded hits like "Please Mr. Postman" for Motown.

-- Reunited Saddle Creek duo Azure Ray have released the new single "Silverlake". The B-side is a demo version of the same song, which the duo recorded with Sparklehorse'sMark Linkous, who died last year. You can hear the A-side at Paste.

-- Portland instrumental brooders Grails, featuring Emil Amos of Om and Holy Sons, will release their new album Deep Politics March 8 on Temporary Residence. Download the track "I Led Three Lives" here.

-- The annual star-studded benefit concert for Tibet House U.S. goes down March 3 at New York's Carnegie Hall. This year's lineup features the Flaming Lips, Michael Stipe, the Roots, Patti Smith, and artistic director Philip Glass.

By Tom Breihan on October 8, 2010 at 5:20 p.m. EDT

-- Minus Sound Research is a collective of North Carolina visual artists and musicians. This month, Minus Sound celebrates its fifth anniversary with a show at Carrboro'sCarrboro Arts Center, featuring art from members of Superchunk, Kingsbury Manx, Bowerbirds, the Moaners, and other bands. On opening parties October 8 and 9, a number of bands will play, including Kingsbury Manx, the Moaners, and a reunited Shark Quest.

-- Veteran rapper/producers Alchemist and Oh No have teamed up to form a new duo called Gangrene, and they'll release Gutter Water, their first album, November 9 on Decon. Raekwon, Guilty Simpson, MED, and Fashawn are among the guests.

-- Emil Amos, drummer for the experimental doom metal bands Om and Grails, also records solo music as Holy Sons. On October 12, Partisan will release his new album Survivalist Tales.

-- Cool dude NYC singer-songwriter Mike Bones has a new album out on Social Registry called A Fool for Everyone and now he's doing the gentlemanly thing by playing songs from it in bars and clubs across the United States, including many dates with Phosphorescent. Check out the dates here and watch his new video for lovely, crescendoing single "What I Have Left" here.

-- J Mascis is putting the (completely, completely amazing and awesome) Dinosaur Jr. reunion thing to the side for a minute to tour with his (less than completely, completely amazing and awesome) Sabbath-style band Witch, in which he plays drums, rather than guitar. They'll head out with Tee Pee Records buddies Earthless.

-- The first DVD from moody Temporary Residence instrumentalists Grails-- featuring live footage, videos and street preachers on roller skates-- is on its way April 7, whether you are ready or not. It's called Acid Rain and, based on the trailer, you are not ready. They'll also do a few California shows with James Blackshaw next week.

-- Former Electrelane guitarist Mia Clarke writes for this website on occasion, upping our collective coolness at least four notches. We appreciate it. She also still plays guitar on occasion, which is pretty rad too. Clarke recently teamed up with the Ex axe man Andy Moor for an improvisational album called Guitargument, which is out digitally on February 17 via File 13. Get an idea of what the thing sounds like at their MySpace.